Alteration of the Expression and Functional Activities of Myosin II Isoforms in Enlarged Hyperplastic Prostates.

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common pathologic process in aging men, and the contraction of the prostatic smooth muscles (SMs) in the stroma plays a vital role in this pathogenesis, leading to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs). The isoforms of both the SM myosin (SMM) and non-muscle myosin (NMM) are associated with the contraction type of the prostatic SMs, but the mechanism has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: We collected prostate tissues from 30 BPH patients receiving surgical treatments, and normal human prostate samples were obtained from 12 brain-dead men.

Individualized red-cell transfusion strategy for non-cardiac surgery in adults: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Red-cell transfusion is critical for surgery during the peri-operative period; however, the transfusion threshold remains controversial mainly owing to the diversity among patients. The patient's medical status should be evaluated before making a transfusion decision. Herein, we developed an individualized transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score based on the physiology of oxygen delivery/consumption balance and designed an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to verify whether it reduced red cell requirement as compared with that associated with restrictive and liberal strategies safely and effectively, providing valid evidence for peri-operative transfusion.

Quantification of SHR0302 in human plasma by UPLC-MS/MS and application to a pharmacokinetic study.

SHR0302, as a novel Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor 1, is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in humans. A novel and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated for determining the concentration of SHR0302 in human plasma. A precipitation deproteinization method was used for plasma pretreatment with methanol.

Effectiveness of Chinese herbal medicine combined with Western medicine on deferring dialysis initiation for nondialysis chronic kidney disease stage 5 patients: a multicenter prospective nonrandomized controlled study.

Background: In clinical practice, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) purportedly has beneficial therapeutic effects for chronic kidney disease (CKD), which include delaying disease progression and dialysis initiation. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence-based results to support this. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CHM combined with Western medicine in the treatment of stage 5 CKD.

Automated Segmentation Method for Low Field 3D Stomach MRI Using Transferred Learning Image Enhancement Network.

Accurate segmentation of abdominal organs has always been a difficult problem, especially for organs with cavities. And MRI-guided radiotherapy is particularly attractive for abdominal targets compared with low CT contrast. But in the limit of radiotherapy environment, only low field MRI segmentation can be used for stomach location, tracking, and treatment planning.

Lanthanides-Substituted Hydroxyapatite/ Composite Coated Titanium Plate for Bone Tissue Regeneration.

Purpose: To develop the surface-treated metal implant with highly encouraged positive properties, including high anti-corrosiveness, bio-activeness and bio-compatibleness for orthopedic applications.

Methods: In this work, the surface of commercially pure titanium (Ti) metal was treated with bio-compatible polydopamine (PD) by merely immersing the Ti plate in PD solution. The composite of trivalent lanthanide minerals (La, Ce and Gd)-substituted hydroxyapatite (MHAP) with (AV) gel was prepared and coated on the PD-Ti plate by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method.

A Network Pharmacology Technique to Investigate the Synergistic Mechanisms of and in Treatment of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Diseases.

Objective: This study is aimed to analyze the active ingredients, drug targets, and related pathways in the combination of (SM) and (RP) in the treatment of cardio-cerebral vascular diseases (CCVDs).

Method: The ingredients and targets of SM and RP were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the disease targets were obtained from Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) Database. The synergistic mechanisms of the SM and RP were evaluated by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) path enrichment analyses.

Hemodynamic changes between different anatomically designed stents after carotid stenting: a prospective multicenter study.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the dynamic changes and risk factors of hemodynamic depression (HD) between straight and tapered carotid stenting (SCS and TCS, respectively).

Methods: A total of 148 and 167 patients were included in TCS and SCS groups in this study, respectively. All clinical data were collected and analyzed for differences in HD and primary endpoint events at 12 months.

Extrusion of the Distal Catheter From the Umbilicus: A Case Report of a Rare Complication After Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt and Its Management.

Spontaneous extrusion of the distal catheter from the umbilicus following a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) for the treatment of hydrocephalus is an extremely rare complication. Here, we describe an 8-years-old boy who underwent a VPS for communicating hydrocephalus and thereafter the distal part of the catheter was extruded through the umbilicus. The extrusive part of the peritoneal catheter was successfully cut off with a laparoscope, keeping the remaining catheter in place and functional.

Role of near-infrared heptamethine cyanine dye IR-783 in diagnosis of cervical cancer and its mechanism.

Near-IR fluorescence imaging is a novel modality and has great potential for detection of tumors. The goal of this study was to evaluate the value of the IR-783 dye, a near-infrared heptamethine carbocyanine, as an imaging agent for rapid detection of human cervical cancer and the underlying mechanism of IR-783 mediated imaging. The imaging was investigated in cervical cancer cells for detecting the uptake, accumulation and subcellular localization of IR-783 dye.

Single-Cell Analysis for Glycogen Localization and Metabolism in Cultured Astrocytes.

Cerebral glycogen is principally localized in astrocytes rather than in neurons. Glycogen metabolism has been implicated in higher brain functions, including learning and memory, yet the distribution patterns of glycogen in different types of astrocytes have not been fully described. Here, we applied a method based on the incorporation of 2-NBDG, a D-glucose fluorescent derivative that can trace glycogen, to investigate glycogen's distribution in the brain.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 deficiency aggravates memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system and the most common dementia type in elderly people. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), a cell stress response gene, is primarily expressed in astrocytes in mammalian brains. The hippocampal protein levels of NDRG2 in AD patients were significantly higher than those in healthy peers.

Assessment of dialysis initiation by a fuzzy mathematics equation (ADIFE): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Starting dialysis early or late both result in a low quality of life and a poor prognosis in patients undergoing haemodialysis. However, there remains no consensus on the optimal timing of dialysis initiation, mainly because of a lack of suitable methods to assess variations in dialysis initiation time. We have established a novel equation named DIFE (Dialysis Initiation based on Fuzzy-mathematics Equation) through a retrospective, multicentre clinical cohort study in China to determine the most suitable timing of dialysis initiation.

Performance and Reading Time of Automated Breast US with or without Computer-aided Detection.

BackgroundComputer-aided detection (CAD) systems may be used to help radiologists interpret automated breast (AB) US images. However, the optimal use of CAD with AB US has, to the knowledge of the authors, not been determined.PurposeTo compare the performance and reading time of different readers by using AB US CAD system to detect breast cancer in different reading modes.

The status and characteristics of urinary stone composition in China.

Objectives: To explore characteristics of urinary stone composition in China, and determine the effects of gender, age, body mass index (BMI), stone location, and geographical region on stone composition.

Patients And Methods: We prospectively used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to analyse stones from consecutive patients presenting with new-onset urolithiasis at 46 hospitals in seven geographical areas of China, between 1 June 2010 and 31 May 2015. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression analyses were used to determine associations between stone composition and gender, age, BMI, stone location, and geographical region.

Chinese clinical guidelines for continuous glucose monitoring (2018 edition).

Blood glucose monitoring is an important part of diabetes management. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology has become an effective complement to conventional blood glucose monitoring methods and has been widely applied in clinical practice. The indications for its use, the accuracy of the generated data, the interpretation of the CGM results, and the application of the results must be standardized.

Honokiol induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis in human lung cancer cells.

Aims: Honokiol is a hydroxylated biphenyl natural product and displays potent antitumor activity against several cancers including prostate cancer, melanoma, leukemia, and colorectal cancer. The present study was to investigate the in vitro activity of honokiol against A549 and 95-D human lung cancer cells.

Main Methods: A549 and 95-D cells were used with honokiol treatment.

Evaluation of traumatic retinopathy with ultra-wide field imaging under corneal scar or fixed small pupil.

Aim: To evaluate the value of ultra-wide field (UWF) imaging in the management of traumatic retinopathy under the condition of corneal scar or fixed small pupil after complicated ocular trauma.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients (28 eyes) with complicated ocular trauma were enrolled in the study from June 2016 to May 2017, including 19 males and 9 females with age ranged from 11 to 64 (43.42±12.

PTBP3 splicing factor promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by destroying the splicing balance of NEAT1 and pre-miR-612.

Nuclear-enriched RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are mainly involved in transcriptional regulation, which is a critical checkpoint to tune gene diversity and expression levels. We analyzed nuclear RBPs in human HCC tissues and matched normal control tissues. Based on the gene expression levels, PTBP3 was identified as top-ranked in the nuclei of HCC cells.

Preoperative Alfa-Fetoprotein and Fibrinogen Predict Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Liver Transplantation Regardless of the Milan Criteria: Model Development with External Validation.

Background/aims: Patient selection is critically important in improving the outcomes of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the current study was to identify biochemical measures that could affect patient prognosis after liver transplantation.

Methods: A total of 119 patients receiving liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma were used to construct a model for predicting recurrence.

Prevalence and risk factors of asthma in mainland China: The CARE study.

Background: There are limited population based data on the prevalence of asthma in China. The China Asthma and Risk factors Epidemiologic (CARE) survey was designed to understand the prevalence and risk factors for asthma in mainland China.

Objectives: The CARE survey aims to demonstrate the prevalence and risk factors of asthma in mainland China among adolescents (age >14 years) and adults.

Efficacy and safety of a second-generation biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent: One-year results of the CREDIT 2 trial.

Aims: We performed a multicenter, randomized controlled trial to determine the noninferiority of a novel biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stent (BP-DES), the EXCEL 2 stent, to the first-generation BP-DES, the EXCEL stent.

Methods And Results: Patients (n = 419) scheduled to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were randomized to receive either the EXCEL 2 stent (n = 208) or the EXCEL stent (n = 211) from 15 Chinese centers. At 9 months, primary endpoint in-stent late loss (LL) difference was -0.

Fingerprint analysis and pharmacological evaluation of Ailanthus altissima.

Ailanthus altissima (AA) has been used in various anticancer prescriptions and showed excellent therapeutic effect. However, there is no report on the method of quality control and the anti-glioblastoma activity. In this study, we used a combinative method approach consisting of chromatographic fingerprinting and quantitative methods to analyze quality of different samples.